Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Puerto Rico

Name: Puerto Rico
Address: PR

For one person, living is cheaper in China: $791 a month against $2,054 in Puerto Rico, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in China
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China Living Index
98

Cost of Living Index in Puerto Rico
Learn more

Puerto Rico Living Index

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🇨🇳 China

$791

/mo nomad

🇵🇷 Puerto Rico

$2,054

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in China and in Puerto Rico

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in China and in Puerto Rico actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $791 in China versus $2,054 in Puerto Rico.

China $791
Puerto Rico $2,054

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,251 in China versus $3,047 in Puerto Rico.

China $1,251
Puerto Rico $3,047

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,711 in China versus $4,040 in Puerto Rico.

China $1,711
Puerto Rico $4,040

Internal cost variation is higher in Puerto Rico: monthly costs span $1,068 to $2,500, compared to $465–$1,222 in China. City choice carries more weight in Puerto Rico.

Living in China costs about 61% less than in Puerto Rico on average.

China (42% below) and Puerto Rico (51% above) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.98 ¥19.81

$15.25 $15.25

-80.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.09 ¥147

$78.9 $78.9

-72.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.20 ¥34.59

$10.20 $10.20

-49.02%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ¥19.73

$3.53 $3.53

-15.86%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ¥3.19

$1.66 $1.66

-71.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.01

$1.35 $1.35

-77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.18

$2.97 $2.97

-63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ¥15.15

$4.61 $4.61

-50.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥11.96

$2.18 $2.18

-17.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.15

$3.29 $3.29

-48.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.13

$2.21 $2.21

-58.37%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.73

$6.09 $6.09

-73.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 ¥89.0

$11.17 $11.17

19.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ¥22.27

$8.38 $8.38

-60.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 ¥75.5

$12.46 $12.46

-8.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.12

$4.70 $4.70

-61.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.69

$2.65 $2.65

-50.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 ¥9.89

$4.37 $4.37

-65.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.47

$4.59 $4.59

-72.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.73

$3.51 $3.51

-79.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$3.21 $3.21

-71.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.12

$2.97 $2.97

-79.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.74

$1.80 $1.80

-68.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 ¥25.15

$11.76 $11.76

-67.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.13 ¥80.7

$15.41 $15.41

-21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.54

$2.35 $2.35

-64.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥11.21

$3.57 $3.57

-52.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.91

$0.89 $0.89

-67.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.83 ¥119

$30.39 $30.39

-41.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ¥9.89

$2.45 $2.45

-39.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.49

$1.53 $1.53

-75.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 ¥47.23

$41.72 $41.72

-82.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.37

$1.04 $1.04

21.15%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.4K ¥129.4K

$39.7K $39.7K

-51.04%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$17.5K ¥116.7K

$28.8K $28.8K

-39.08%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$54.6 ¥363

$294 $294

-81.46%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.73 ¥58.1

$68.6 $68.6

-87.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.07 ¥73.6

$71.2 $71.2

-84.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.77 ¥271

$28.85 $28.85

41.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.48 ¥96.3

$13.72 $13.72

5.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ¥45.11

$9.87 $9.87

-31.31%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$517 ¥3,437

$708 $708

-27.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K ¥131.8K

$11.2K $11.2K

76.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.53 ¥310

$57.5 $57.5

-19.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.66 ¥237

$47.49 $47.49

-24.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥512

$93.4 $93.4

-17.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 ¥534

$98.1 $98.1

-18.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 ¥2,567

$1,202 $1,202

-67.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ¥1,560

$782 $782

-70.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ¥5,468

$2,319 $2,319

-64.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥3,014

$1,297 $1,297

-65.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,697 ¥31.2K

$6,281 $6,281

-25.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,372 ¥15.8K

$3,615 $3,615

-34.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,093 ¥7,273

$2,811 $2,811

-61.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

6.51

-46.85%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for China: October 24, 2026

Last update for Puerto Rico: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

China

$235 29.6%

Puerto Rico

$782 38.1% 234% $548

Groceries & Markets

China

$210 26.5%

Puerto Rico

$381 18.5% 81.2% $171

Clothing & Footwear

China

$108 13.6%

Puerto Rico

$133 6.5% 23.8% $26

Eating Out

China

$88 11.1%

Puerto Rico

$231 11.3% 162% $143

Monthly Utilities & Internet

China

$74 9.4%

Puerto Rico

$434 21.1% 484% $360

Sport & Entertainment

China

$54 6.9%

Puerto Rico

$49 2.4% 10.6% $5.7

Getting Around

China

$22 2.8%

Puerto Rico

$44 2.1% 97.2% $22

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $298 in China, $898 in Puerto Rico. Capital cities: $933 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,934 in San Juan.

National salary averages: $873 in China, $2,576 in Puerto Rico. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 201% higher in Puerto Rico.

Dining out costs 245% more in Puerto Rico.

Public transport is 111% more expensive in Puerto Rico.

Salaries are about 3 times higher in Puerto Rico, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Puerto Rico.

Good to know

🇨🇳 China

🇵🇷 Puerto Rico

🕒 Local time

11:20 11:20 AM

23:20 11:20 PM

12 h behind China

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,442,965,000

3,285,874

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.134 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.45 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

China Puerto Rico 13,520 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

China
Puerto Rico

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

China vs Puerto Rico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $791 per month in China and $2,054 in Puerto Rico, China comes out about 61% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in China: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $898 in Puerto Rico and $298 in China. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Puerto Rico it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you’re after: China wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.